Be That Way
by ThickerThanLove
Summary: Songfic. When all of La La's efforts to win Red's love seem to be in vain, Patty steps in...R&R Please!


Be That Way  
  
Songfic. The characters of Rainbow Brite and the other Color Kids are not mine. The song "Be That Way" is the property of Martina McBride. I don't claim either of these, just the story. Chronologically this is about two or three Earth years after Star Stealer.  
  
La La Orange smiled and shoved some of her brown hair back behind her ears. She looked herself over in her full-length mirror, searching for any blemish or error. Her dress fell in soft waves to her ankles. She strapped on her flats and with a fresh spray of sweet perfume she began her accent downstairs.  
  
Red and the others were getting ready to leave. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Red Butler. She sighed deeply, raised her head high and strode down in the state of a graceful lady.  
  
"Hey La La," Indigo greeted her warmly. La La smiled but focused back on Red. He had taken off his cape, as they were going to mine and the cape would get caught. She ran over to him, saying in a sugar sweet voice,  
  
"Hey Red."  
  
He turned at the sound of his name and looked her over. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. La La looked herself over.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"La La…we're going to the Color Cave, not the Prom!"  
  
"I can still mine."  
  
"Not in that outfit. By the Rainbow, I don't even wanna think of that scenario."  
  
"But-"  
  
"La La!"  
  
He turned and stormed out, not giving her a second thought. La La stared after him for a minute, stomped her foot in frustration but then rushed upstairs to change.  
  
  
  
Every time I turn around, I run right into your pride.  
  
Sometimes I'm not so sure if I wanna know that guy,  
  
Know that guy,  
  
Cause you've got a rock hard head.  
  
Stubborn as a mule.  
  
Oh yeah and by the way,  
  
I still love you.  
  
  
  
La La leaned on her pick and sighed deeply. Tears blurred her vision. Nothing she did made any difference. Red walked by her, not a word. She wiped her face with the back of her hand. Dust was left behind but for once, La La gave no thought to it.  
  
"La La?"  
  
The French maid looked up. Patty looked at her sympathetically. She knew that La La loved Red. Everyone knew it. Everyone but the Caped Crusader himself, it seemed. Patty knew that La La had stayed up late planning her entrance as a way to get Red's attention. The green haired girl wrapped her arm around the orange clothed girl's shoulder.  
  
"What else do I do, Patty?" she wailed, "Nothing I do works! What am I, invisible?"  
  
Patty sighed deeply. She knew what La La was feeling. She herself had felt it for quite some time before she finally got up the guts to approach Buddy with her feelings. It had been the best decision she had ever made. She and Buddy were made for each other. He was so sweet and kind to her. Patty pitied La La.  
  
"Red!"  
  
No reply, Red just turned for a moment, nodded and said as he turned back around, "We need more orange crystals La La."  
  
That did it for Patty. She stormed over to Red and tapped his shoulder. No reply.  
  
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"  
  
Red Butler laid his shovel down and turned, annoyed. The green color kid folded her arms and then hissed,  
  
"Red Butler, you go and talk to her!" she pointed at La La. When Red started to reject, Patty glared at him with a snarl that was enough to make Red Butler himself wince.  
  
"I knew she needed to talk to me," he called to her as he strolled over, "red is fully aware of what happens around him!"  
  
Patty rolled her eyes and strode away, muttering under her breath,  
  
"He has an ego the size of Spectra."  
  
Red walked over and stood in front of La La Orange. She hastily wiped her eyes dry. She took a breath, ready to speak what she felt. But when red spoke, her voice froze in her throat. She swallowed, trying to wet her parched throat. It didn't work; if anything it felt drier.  
  
"What La La?"  
  
"I…I…"  
  
"What? I thought you had something to say to me. If you don't, I need to mine some more. Things can't go wrong when Red Butler's on the job."  
  
La La smiled. But she couldn't say anything. She tried to but couldn't. Red waited a minute more and then rolled his eyes,  
  
"Girls are impossible. They say they talk forever but when you actually need them to talk they go mute."  
  
He glared at La La. "La La, Rainbow said she needs a lot of star sprinkles. I can't be called away if you're just gonna stand there looking like a statue. I've got to work! You should too! Sheesh! Do I have to play dictator?"  
  
La La just stood there. His words stung her heart but her face displayed nothing but two tears that streamed down her face.  
  
  
  
Go on and be that way.  
  
Slam that door, make a scene, yell some more,  
  
Come on, let's have it out!  
  
Have your say.  
  
Cause with a love this strong...  
  
Baby, it's okay for you to be that way.  
  
  
  
La La kept quiet during dinner that night. She couldn't blame Red for what he said. Had one of her sprite stopped working and just stood there, she would have directed them back to the task at hand.  
  
Although she would have been far more gentle. La La sighed deeply. Why did Red only have critism for her? She tried so desperately to win his attention and favor and yet the only time he revealed any feelings were in a crisis.  
  
"La La?"  
  
The girl looked up and smiled in an attempt to assure her leader. Rainbow didn't seem convinced but she didn't say anything. She knew that pressure would not help. Besides, she could guess what was bothering the girl. Just as everyone else could.  
  
Red took no note. He just thought she was sore over getting critism from him. Inwardly, he felt bad about that, but being Red Butler he wasn't about to say that! He turned back to his dinner.  
  
Neither of the two color kids said anything else. Only when the meal wa sbeing cleared away did La La dare to approach Red.  
  
"Red?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I…I just well, I thought maybe if you aren't busy tonight, will you come to river with me?"  
  
"La La, you've gone by yourself. Why don't ya count me out this time?"  
  
His voice was kind but La La just heard the acidic words. She fingered her handmade orange earrings. She had made them before dinner in yet another attempt to get Red's attention. Again it seemed that her efforts had failed.  
  
La La normally would have shrugged such a blow to her spirit off. But now…she had done some much…her heart felt strained. She didn't know what else to do. In that moment, her tolerance was snapped.  
  
"Red Butler! For once will you pay attention to me?"  
  
He stared at her. Tears were streaming down her face. She shook her head once and then in a flurry of tears ran off, out the door, and out of sight.  
  
Red Butler was, for once, speechless.  
  
  
  
Sometimes what you don't say can make the deepest cut.  
  
I get my feelings hurt. And I just go nuts,  
  
Well a little nuts.  
  
So try to ignore that girl. She's just blowing off steam.  
  
Oh and I don't know about her  
  
But I hope you say to me.  
  
  
  
Patty was watching and stormed out towards the stunned color kid.  
  
"Red!"  
  
He whirled around at the sudden voice. Patty's curled fist met his left eye. He stumbled back, clutching it tightly. Looking at patty with his right eye, he growled,  
  
"Patty O'Green, what was that for?"  
  
"Don't play smart; you aren't good at it," she spat. "You know exactly what I mean! La La!"  
  
"She just asked me…"  
  
"Red, are you really that blind?"  
  
Red cocked his head at her; she smacked her forehead and then slapped his cheek, hissing,  
  
"She likes you, you idiot!"  
  
Slapping her hands on her hips, she spat, "Everyone knows it except you! Will you open your eyes? Why do you think she…oh you don't even notice do you? Did you even see how pretty she was?"  
  
Red looked at her with a quizzical expression. Patty left in disgust, saying,  
  
"Go to her, you big lug."  
  
La La ran until the tears fell like rain. Stopping by the river, she sobbed, trying to stop her crying. Every logical part of her said that if Red hurt her so then she should give up. But La La's heart was stubborn and refused to loosen the hold it had on Red.  
  
La La tried to think of all the times he'd been temperamental and cold to make it let go of him. None of these worked. Her heart was locked. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she gave in to a feeling she knew would never subside, no matter how much she needed it to.  
  
  
  
Go on and be that way.  
  
Slam that door, make a scene, yell some more,  
  
Come on, let's have it out!  
  
Have your say.  
  
Cause with a love this strong...  
  
Baby, it's okay for you to be that way.  
  
  
  
Red finally caught sight of La La by the river. He saw her in full beauty now. He was stunned. She did look beautiful. Her short brown hair flowed loosely on her shoulders. She had pinned it back with crystal barrettes and put a light coating of blush over her whole face, making it shine as if she was the object of the moon's spotlight.  
  
"La La?"  
  
She turned, surprised,  
  
"Red?"  
  
The leader of the color kids sat down by her and said softly,  
  
"Stop crying."  
  
La La wiped her eyes. Red tilted her head up.  
  
"Please."  
  
La La smiled through her tears and nodded, drying her cheeks. Red pulled her up gently.  
  
"La La, I didn't mean to reject you like that. I..I didn't…"  
  
Red sighed, he wasn't good at this.  
  
"I…I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."  
  
"You mean that?"  
  
"La La, I'm killing myself saying this, would I lie if it's this hard for me to say?"  
  
She smiled. "I guess not."  
  
Red sighed deeply and looked at her, "La La, I just…I…I'm not-"  
  
"You aren't the type to say your feelings, I know," she finished. Laying her chin against his chest, she looked up at him with wide shimmering eyes.  
  
  
  
Baby, let's get emotional. What do you say we let it all go?  
  
  
  
"La La?"  
  
"Yes, red?"  
  
"I…I want to…aw man."  
  
La La smiled. Did he? Could he feel the same way about her as she did about him?  
  
"Red?'  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Just say it."  
  
  
  
Let it all go.  
  
  
  
The red color kid took a deep breath.  
  
"Okay."  
  
He looked at her,  
  
'I don't mean to be so cruel sometimes. I know I can be a pain, much as I hate to admit it. I just try to keep order, ya know?"  
  
La La nodded. he went on,  
  
"I know that sometimes I don't say anything to you but that doesn't mean I don't notice. I notice. I wish I noticed more often but I do notice. Lots of times, I guess…"  
  
He paused and turned deep red,  
  
"I guess I'm just afraid."  
  
La La gasped, "You? Afraid?"  
  
"well, maybe afraid's too strong a word." Red was aware he had allowed weakness to be revealed. "I just, sometimes I'm just unsure."  
  
La La smiled. He rubbed the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable; the only time La La had seen him so nervous. Taking another deep breath,  
  
"I'm…well, these past few days, I…"  
  
He looked at her with pure emotion and whispered,  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He sighed, "I…well, Patty woke me up so to speak. I never realized, well,…"  
  
Gathering his courage, he stammered,  
  
"La La?"  
  
"Yes, Red?"  
  
"Please…please will you…please be my girl?"  
  
La La smiled. Tears ran down her cheeks. Her heart sped up to ten times its normal rate.  
  
Red started to stammer. What had he said? He knew he meant it but to admit feeling like that? Feeling that strong…he loved her, knew he did…but the way he acted sometimes, he'd hurt her, he knew he would…  
  
"I mean, I know I'm a jerk sometimes, but-"  
  
La La silenced him with a kiss on his lips and whispered, tears choking her gentle voice,  
  
"I don't care."  
  
  
  
Go on and be that way.  
  
Slam that door, make a scene, yell some more,  
  
Come on, let's have it out!  
  
Have your say.  
  
Cause with a love this strong...  
  
Baby, it's okay for you to be that way.  
  
  
  
Red was stunned; shocked beyond reasoning. But as she pressed against his lips, he slowly relaxed. He'd been a idiot and he knew it. Not that he would admit it to anyone but La La but still! Who would have waited this long? He tried to ignore her because he was afraid of his feelings, unsure of how strong they were. Now he knew and he returned the kiss.  
  
La La hugged Red tightly as she kissed him, tears flowing down her face. Finally was the only word she knew. That and happiness, joy…  
  
She knew as well as any other how Red could be. He could be a jerk, an arrogant imbecile at times. But he loved her. She knew he did by the feeling she sensed in the way he had spoken to her, the way he held her now. She smiled and just thought one thing to herself:  
  
1 Be that way 


End file.
